


Answering Delusions

by SilverTonguedSlytherin1



Series: Letters to and from an International Fugitive [5]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Author is Salty and Bitter, But No Bashing of Wakanda, Civil War Team Iron Man, F/M, Just some serious side-eyeing, Not Sam Wilson Friendly, Not Sam friendly, Not Steve Friendly, Not Steve Rogers Friendly, Not T'Challa Friendly, Not Wanda Friendly, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Wakanda Critical, not team Cap friendly, not wanda maximoff friendly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:34:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23986888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverTonguedSlytherin1/pseuds/SilverTonguedSlytherin1
Summary: Rhodey, Vision, and Tony have responses for Wilson, Maximoff, and Rogers.
Relationships: Pepper Potts/Tony Stark
Series: Letters to and from an International Fugitive [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1710490
Comments: 40
Kudos: 921
Collections: Tony Stark Defense Squad I





	Answering Delusions

**Author's Note:**

> This author and her fics are firmly Team Iron Man, as stated in the tags. Please read and respect them. Comments are moderated in case you don't because my readers deserve better than being trolled. Thank you for understanding.

Rhodey grits his teeth while reading Wilson's letter. The nerve of that asshole is apalling, addressing Rhodey as a friend, acting like he wasn't integral in Rhodey's injury. He doesn't trust himself to avoid accidentally breaking one of Tony's computers if he tries to type a reply, so he asks, "FRIDAY, would you be offended if I asked you to help me type up a response to Wilson's letter."

"Of course not. Should I print it with your official letterhead?" She asks in that sweet Irish lilt.

"You're evil, FRI, and I love you for it. Please do."

There's a mechanical sort of giggle, followed by, "I'm ready when you are, Col."

Rhodey dictates the letter in a few minutes time, and FRIDAY prints him a copy almost immediately.

_Sergeant Wilson,_

_Your concern regarding my condition is noted. Pepper and Tony were right to withhold information regarding my health without proper consent, as providing that information would be a violation of my privacy. However, as all matters surrounding my health have been resolved, I feel little issue in sharing my current status with you._

_The fall broke my spinal cord in several places. It caused paralysis from the waist to my feet. It can not be reversed by any technology to which we have access, and Wakanda have refused the use of the technology which healed Commander Ross, even with offers of payment. Thankfully, Dr. Cho's Cradle has helped me regain the majority of control over my bladder and bowels. Tony has developed braces, and I am relearning how to walk with them. I can still only manage about three or four hours before I have to use the wheelchair, but it's amazing to have even that._

_The Air Force is considering giving me an Honorable Discharge, given the amount of damage and its permanence. President Ellis is against it, but even his support will only go so far if I can not be physically fit enough for duty. I am lucky, though, that if I am released, Tony and Pepper have both made it clear that I have a job at Stark Industries, so at least I will not be out of work, like many veterans in my condition._

_Regards,_  
_Colonel J. Rhodes, U.S. Air Force_

Rhodey looks at the letter with a spiteful smile. Every word of that letter was true, and every word was a well-placed bullet. Rhodey could forgive Wilson for his own injuries, but the man was responsible for Tony going to Siberia without support. Rhodey can't forgive that, but he's not stupid or naive enough to think that Wilson will ever regret that mistake, not truly, so Rhodey will make him remorseful and penitent in other ways. 

He asks FRIDAY, "How do you feel about scanning a copy of both letters and sending them to Tony and Pepper before I mail this one out?"

~*~

There is a part of Vision, and he thinks it is the leftover coding of JARVIS, which wants to kill Wanda Maximoff. It is this part of Vision which flares up when he reads her letter, the rest of himself too heartbroken and confused to know how to respond.

_Ms. Maximoff,_

_You were not being held captive, Ms. Maximoff. I was asked to keep you company in your home, while the matter of your visa and the situation with Lagos were resolved. At no point did I attempt to restrain you or physically prohibit your departure. There was no reason to throw me through several floors._

_However, despite your efforts to the contrary, I am well. Your assault caused only minor damage to my systems and form. Also, it has helped my claim of personhood, and I am now legally considered an independent sentient being rather than a piece of property, which is why I have pressed charges against you for assault and attempted murder, rather than Mister Stark adding my injuries to the charges for property damage against you._

_It is my advice and my request that you do not contact me again,_  
_Vision Stark_

He makes a copy of each and adds them to FRIDAY's servers. Records ought to be kept in these situations. He does not miss but also does not comment on her sending these copies to Mr. Stark and Ms. Potts. 

He does hope Mr. Stark will forgive Vision the use of his surname.

~*~

Maria rolls her eyes. Does Barton honestly think she's still on his side? God, he's an idiot. She had wondered if Coulson wasn't holding the sniper back by not allowing him to progress beyond Specialist, but, no, it seems his skills really do start and stop with sharpshooting. Huh. Well, she clearly overestimated all of them, otherwise, they wouldn't be in this mess.

She decides against pulling the rug out from under him. Instead, she types:

_Barton,_

_Stark's health has improved past pre-2010 baseline. His support has grown, and his critics have lessened. Both Stark Industries and his personal wealth took a hit, nearly halving both. However, they have since not only recovered but increased by 36% and 27% respectively._

_The Accords have been amended and ratified by all initial 117 countries. Of the remaining 40%, 20% are holding over various clauses. Approximately 3% itend to ratify them with the current amendments. 8% wish to see them in action first, but they see no reason to avoid ratification in theory. The remaining 9% have stated they do not wish to ratify them, but they will respect them. Of that, 5% of the remaining nations wants stricter laws, and only 4% have stated they find them too strict._

_Team's status is noted. Current location is known, and orders are to stay until situation changes._

_Hill_

Like him, she does not send the message, letting it sit in the drafts. Unlike him, she slips a note to Stark about the email. Not only does she doubt privacy from FRIDAY, she honestly thinks Stark needs to know it. Besides, Maria Hill isn't going down for the likes of a group of unauthorized, disrespectful terrorists parading as heroes.

~*~

Tony and Pepper laugh at Rogers' letter. How can one man be so deluded?

"Do you want to write the reply, Pep?"

"You probably should this time, Tony. I don't think anything is cutting through his shields, but he'll certainly take it better from you than me."

"Yeah, you're right. For the record, though, and I can't believe I'm saying this, but I would rather deal with Justin Hammer, Hank Pym, and T'Challa at the same dinner than deal with Rogers?"

"Really?" Pepper is surprised. Tony had held a great amount of respect for King T'Chaka, and he was willing to give his son the same, but, so far, the young king's actions have steadily chipped away at it. His not-so-subtle efforts to hide the Rogues Tony were the source of laughter in Stark Industries for two weeks straight, but his refusal to help Rhodey had earned him a permanent place in Tony's black books.

"Yes," he says, while getting the writing supplies. "At least they admit they don't like me. We wouldn't have to pretend. And it's not like they're friends either. They would probably spend just as much time sniping at each other as me." He sits down to write.

_Rogers,_

_You do realize this isn't 1945, right? You've been awake for half a decade, you should have realized by now that things have changed significantly, especially regarding gender relations._

_I did not ask Pepper to write you. She is my fiancee, and when she asked to read the letter you sent, I saw no reason not to share it. She informed me several weeks later that she had written a reply, and she offered to let me read it before she sent it, although she did make it clear that she was sending it with or without my approval. I believe she actually threatened to fly to Wakanda to read it to you if need be._

_In regards to your rank, Pepper was correct. You did not complete Basic Training, and you certainly did not complete Officer Training. You never earned the rank of "Captain," and it was never formally given to you. The Army discovered this fact when they went to charge you with abandoning your post without intention to return a couple of months ago. Captain America was never more than a stage name, according to them. I'm attaching copies of their formal statements with this letter, so you know I'm not lying._

_I was not "hiding behind formalities," Rogers. I was respecting both the law and my best friend's right to privacy. Who and what to tell about his condition was and remains Rhodey's decision, neither mine nor Pepper's. I do believe, however, that he has sent Wilson a response._

_Pepper only stated the facts about the team's treatment of me and Maximoff's treatment of Vision. I have chosen not to press charges, despite the overwhelming evidence, mostly because I fear how difficult it will be for the people to trust me to protect them if I obviously couldn't protect myself. However, given the amount of charges you are already facing, you will serve plenty of time as it is._

_In regards to Vision, Maximoff has been charged with assault and attempted murder. There is video evidence of the attack from multiple angles. I don't know what else to say. I'll put copies of the videos on a flashdrive with this letter._

_What is Hydra if not a terrorist organization, Rogers? Answer me that. It's certainly not a political party. And as the Maximoffs were not forced to join and left only when their own lives were in danger, they were willing members. Therefore, if on that alone, Wanda Maximoff is a terrorist. That's not even touching the actions she took as an Avenger._

_I'm attaching several legal documents from various nations, so you may want to seek the help of an attorney skilled in internation law. However, to be blunt, the Joint Terrorism Task Force is charging you with terrorism in various nations, and yourself, Maximoff, Barton, Wilson, and Romanov are in the Top Ten Most Wanted; Lang was No. 12 the last time I checked._

_I have two points regarding your claims that I "only listen to scientists and politicians with fancy titles." First, I do not only listen to them. For example, regarding the Accords, who do you think elected the officials who ratified them? The people want us to be more accountable, Rogers. I'm listening to the "little guy."_

_Second, I am an engineer and an industrialist. My work requires safeguards and considerations that the average person would not know to consider. Just as I am not knowledgable enough to write safety regulations for agriculture, the average farmer is not knowledgable enough write safety regulations for engineering or programming. It's not an insult to either. It''s an acknowledgement of the natural knowledge gaps which occur with specialization, and it is saying that someone should have a working knowledge of a topic before they attempt to regulate it._

_I recognize and respect that Dad was both your friend and Barnes's. After all, even after crashing his car and despite changes in Barnes's appearance, Dad still recognized him. He still called out to him for help._

_For the record, I don't blame Barnes. I've seen what Hydra did to him. He was the gun, not the shooter. However, the victims deserve the truth, and I deserved to choose whether or not I would fund searching for him._

_Rogers, do you know that General Ross was prepared to send in a team of snipers for you? I had to beg him to allow me to attempt to bring you in alive. It's open record now, so I'm including that video as well._

_It wasn't a waste. The Spiderling is bright, and he has many good ideas. However, he feels guilty using more expensive parts, especially for the prototypes. Since I had no intention of using the phone, it seemed like a better decision to let him use it._

_Once again, thank you. Fuck you. Bye._

Pepper kisses Tony's cheek when he fnishes it. They fall into bed soon after, their worries and irritations forgotten.

In the morning, FRIDAY will wake them with the news that King T'Challa wishes to have a private audience with Tony regarding some "serious allegations."

**Author's Note:**

> Writing this one was fun. The different points of view were interesting to look into, but I didn't want to punch any of them.
> 
> Yes, T'Challa is there to address the abuse allegations, but I didn't feel like writing that conversation just yet.


End file.
